The Couple In The Park
by Kristie Goldberg
Summary: This is an older story that I re-vamped. It's about an older J/C and their two younger friends.


The Couple in the Park

Nearly everyday I walked the two blocks from my condo pulling a small wagon holding my young son and a few old toys. We always head for the same destination, which is the playground area of our local park. We had been doing this almost daily for two years. Normally we spent anywhere from an hour to three hours playing on the playground equipment or laying on a blanket where I read to him. Then we would eat our lunch that we either brought with us or occasionally purchased from a vendor. It had become a ritual, one that my son and I both enjoyed.

The first few days, we didn't even notice the elderly couple sitting together on one of the benches in the shade of a magnificent old oak. It was only after my son decided to share the cookies we had made the night before that we got to know the couple.

He walked bravely over to them with the wrapped cookies in his outstretched hands, almost afraid that they would refuse. I saw him talking to them for a moment. Then the woman took the cookies while the man ruffled my son's hair. The woman looked over at me with a crooked grin that seemed to light her whole face as she silently thanked me. Her grin seemed to warm my heart.

My son ran back to me grinning as well, "They said thank you! I told them we made them!" I was happy that it had been a good encounter. Not all people have been nice to my son. You see, Ian is part human and part Cardassian. I was once in a Cardassian prison for just a few days and had been raped by several of them. After I was rescued and back on Earth, I found out that I was pregnant, I refused to terminate. My family disowned me. Ian and I are on our own. We live frugally on an inheritance from my grandmother. The majority of my friends had turned away as well.

Each day that we were in the park after that, Ian would talk a little with the older couple. Even I began to talk with them some. Her name was Katie and his was Jack. She said they had been married seventy years and had two sons and a daughter, several grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

One son lived on a planet far away at the edge of the Federation called Dorvan, where he was their Ambassador. He had a large family. I looked up Dorvan and found it to be an amazing place. Long ago, it had been decimated by the Cardassians. But, with the help of a group called the Voyagers, the planet was now a prosperous place. I wondered how their son came to be Dorvan's Ambassador. Something made me think that it would be an interesting story. I vowed one day to ask them, but I never did.

They told me that the other son and their daughter was in Starfleet. That is why they seldom saw any of their family. You could tell they were very proud of them.

Ian and I both began to look forward to our days in the park. He enjoyed talking to Jack, who would tell him stories about an angry warrior. Katie would sit beside him shaking her head, "Not so angry anymore!" They would sit and hold hands and from time to time, they would look deep into the others eyes. When I saw then doing that, I use to get choked up. Here was a couple who had been together for many, many years and were still very much in love.

I was amazed at their hands. His were so much bigger than her tiny ones. Both sets of hands were wrinkled and worn from years of hard work and simply living. As strong and big as his hands were, I imagined they still caressed her gently. I thought of him as the gentle giant.

He was a big man. Even at his age, his shoulders were still broad, and he stood tall. He was still quite handsome. He wore some kind of tattoo over his one eye that had faded with age. Often I noticed her tracing its pattern over his eye with an amazing tenderness. I envied what they had.

Katie must have been beautiful when she was young. She was still very lovely. She had such a regal bearing about her. I could tell Jack was crazy about her.

At Christmas time the second year, Ian asked if he could invite them to spend Christmas with us. I hesitated as we don't have much. For the first time, I was ashamed at what little we had. I wanted to say no, but I didn't want him to be hurt especially at that time of the year. So, we asked them to spend Christmas day with us. While Ian was over by the pond with Jack, I sat and talked with Katie. I explained that we didn't have much and hoped they would not be embarrassed coming to our place. She was so easy to talk to that for the first time, I told someone about what had happened to me in that prison. I told her about my family and some of my friends turning away from us because of Ian. She told me they would love to come but insisted on bringing dinner.

When Christmas day finally arrived, Ian and I got up early and started cleaning. He was so happy that they were coming. We never had company before. He helped me to set the table and to pick up around the place. I had inherited not only the condo from my grandmother, but the furniture as well. While worn and old fashioned, the furniture still looked fairly good.

When they arrived, their arms were loaded down with things for both of us as well as the food. Ian had never seen so many presents before. He and Jack carefully put all the presents under the artificial tree. While they were doing that, Katie and I got the food on the table. They had brought a turkey and all sorts of food to go with it - even dessert! She explained that he was a vegetarian and would not eat the meat. So, there were extra vegetables. Ian was happy as he loves vegetables of nearly every kind.

The meal was wonderful and as I complimented her, she blushed and said he had done it all. She had never learned to cook! They talked about spending years in Starfleet. Between Starfleet and raising a family, she had just never managed to find the time to cook. He told us a few funny stories of her feeble attempts which had us laughing!

After the meal, we sat around the tree and opened presents. I received a wonderful coat. I tried it on and found it to fit perfect. They must have noticed the shabby one I always wore. I had tears in my eyes as I thanked them.

Ian received an assortment of clothes as well as many of the toys he had wanted. He thanked them as he threw his arms around them. You could tell they were just delighted to see him happy and excited.

Then, Ian brought out the presents we had for them. They weren't much in comparison, but we couldn't afford to spend a lot. I draw well and had made a plaque for her. On the plaque was a picture of an older couple sitting on a park bench holding hands and gazing deeply into each others eyes. That is how I will always remember them. I wrote a little bit about home being where you were. She looked up with tears in her eyes and reached out to hug me. As we hugged I could feel just how frail she really was.

For him, we had bought a carving knife as Ian had told me he carved a lot. He told Ian how happy he was to get a new one as his was old and worn. He promised to someday show Ian how to carve.

We spent a wonderful afternoon and evening with them. One that we will always remember. Reluctantly we said good night.

The next few months the winter was so bad that we were unable to go to the park. Finally we had a good day. We hurried to the park to find them sitting on their bench. They both grinned as Ian and I ran over to them. I halted in front of them, suddenly realizing how much the winter had taken its toll on Jack. He looked much thinner, and his skin had a funny pallor to it. I looked at her. I knew from the look on her face, that he didn't have much longer. I got a strange feeling in my chest just looking at them.

Ian sat between them as Jack began to tell him another story. Finally Katie and I walked over to the vendor while Jack told Ian about a spaceship.

Katie was quiet that day and even when we were at the vendor's getting our lunches, she seemed to constantly look back at Jack. I had the feeling that she was afraid that if she looked away too long he would be gone.

All that week, we met each day at the park. The last two days, Jack seemed almost like his old self. It dawned on me that if something happened to him, Katie would be completely lost. When we were alone, I tried to talk to her about it. She would smile and just say that everything would be alright.

We got another cold spell and were unable to go to the park for another week. Finally when we could, we hurried to their bench, but neither was there. We didn't stay long that day. As soon as we got back home, Ian turned on the vid screen. Suddenly he was calling me to hurry and see what was on.

As soon as I walked into the room, I saw Katie and Jack on the screen. The announcer called them Kathryn Janeway and Chakotay, the most famous Starfleet Command Team of all time. He said that they had been found dead in their bed wrapped in each others arms. Admiral Harry Kim, a close friend of theirs, had found them.

Ian wanted to go to the funeral service. I knew that it would be too much for him. I did tell him that we would go to the cemetery for the small service there. It was a beautiful day thankfully. There were many dignitaries there. It took just a few minutes of looking around to spot Katie and Jack's children. Their daughter looked just like Katie and both sons looked like Jack. I was amazed at the likeness.

As we stood for the short service, I wrapped my arm around Ian. Soon as the service was over, we began walking away. A voice called out to us. Turning around, I saw their daughter approach. When she reached us, she introduced herself and thanked us for coming. Reaching inside her coat pocket, she handed me a large envelope. She said that there was a note from her mother and some credits that her parents wanted us to have. I tried giving them back as much as I needed them. She assured me that her parents wanted us to have them. She said they spoke often about us. Finally, I thanked her. Then Ian and I hurried away. I had tears in my eyes.

When we got home, I opened the envelope, I read to Ian the beautiful note that Katie had written. I will keep the note always. I gasped as I saw the credits. There was enough for Ian and I to live well for the rest of our lives.

Later, I was contacted by Voyager's EMH. He said that he had spoken with Katie (he called her Kathryn) about Ian. He wanted me to bring Ian to see him. I made the appointment. When we got there, the doctor checked Ian over. Later he did some surgery on Ian. He looks more human now, and he's begun to be more accepted by those around him.

We both enjoy spending time with the doctor. He tells wonderful stories about Katie and Jack and their trip through the Delta Quadrant. We see him once or twice a week. He has become a good friend to both of us.

Ian and I still come to the park every day. He plays on the same playground. I usually sit on a bench and watch him. Every once in awhile I look over at what we consider their bench. And, I swear a few times I have seen them sitting there holding hands watching over us.


End file.
